Services of remembrance to be held for families who have suffered baby loss
SPECIAL SERVICE: Reverend Harry Smart
By Simon Bristow, Co-Editor
Families who have lost a baby are being invited to join a remembrance service on Sunday.
To mark Baby Loss Awareness Week (October 9 - 15), members of NHS Humber Health Partnership’s pastoral and spiritual care team have been working with Sands, the Still Birth and Neonatal Death charity, and midwifery staff across the region’s hospitals to arrange a series of special services.
Anyone who has been touched by the loss of a baby, at any stage of life, is welcome to attend.
Reverend Harry Smart said: “For the majority of people, the arrival of a baby is a time of great joy and celebration, but sadly this is not always the case. The loss of a baby at any stage; before, during or after birth; can be devastating, not just for the immediate parents but for wider family and friends around them too.
“As baby loss is something our chaplains, our charity partners and our specialist midwifery teams support people with on a regular basis, we wanted to invite people to join us in a special service to remember their little ones and to find comfort and strength among those who have shared a similar experience.”
The services in Hull will give families the opportunity for reflection and to give thanks. Families will also be invited to light a candle and have their baby’s name read out during the service of remembrance.
Joanne Milns, from the pastoral and spiritual care team working across Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital, said: “No one can truly understand the grief caused by the loss of a child until they have lived that experience. It’s something that most people will carry with them for the rest of their lives, but many don’t feel able to talk about it or truly express how they feel.
“Our remembrance services will give local families and their loved ones the chance to grieve, to reflect and to remember in a safe and supportive space; everyone is welcome.
“We want families to know there is support and understanding out there; each one of those babies was precious, and they will never be forgotten in our hearts.”
Services will take place at 1pm and 3pm at the Hull College’s Horncastle Building in Wilberforce Drive. Families are asked to book in advance by calling the bereavement team on 07990 800223.